Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-24
rHEBLooD OF TIE BoUEBoNs.
. Strange story That Reads Almost
Like Il Romance.

r.o,n the CAarieston IS. CO. Neeos and
HV" Courier.
IA was a descendant of the Kings of
france!
Col. James fl. Rion died at his home in
Winnsboro', S. c., on Sunday. Dec. IL
ost He was loved and respected wher-
.yer he wask known. An upright man, an
.cute counsellor, profound lawyer,
aitbful citizen, a superb soldier and
fnished scholar, his loss was deeply de-
nIored. He was all this, and II the story
Ebich is now told for the first time be
rue, he was much more, Tor In MS Velhs
ON the blood Of the Bourbons, and the
mndest country lawyer was none other
.bor the grandson OF Louis XVI and
Marie Antoinette, King and Queen OF
An eminent South Carolina lawyer re-
,ortlv told a reporter strange story OF
Col. Rion's lite. He SAID:
..There has always been, as perhaps you
are aware, mystery surrounding Col.
Rion's birth. he was very familiar with
John c. Calhoun during his early life,
Tho took a great interest in his welfare
and was very kind to him and his mother.
Tbev came from Canada to Washington
shont the time when Mr.. Calhoun was
Secretary of State under President Tyler.
There have been many specnlations in
regard to Col. Rion's origin and family
and many rumors, and there was always
recognized mystery hanging over the
subject. 1t was difficult to account for
the great interest Mr.. Calhoun seemed to
take in him. Col. Rion himself always
manifested great admiration for Mr.. Cal
honn. and ever entertained the deepest
revprence for the illustriOus statesman
both as public man and as a private
citizen, Some have even gone so far as
W infer from these clrcum stances that
some peculiar relationship existed be-
0een them. 1t is said now that Col.
Ron exploded this mystery during the
few brief hours that lrtervened between
the first paroXysm OF the attack Wnicn
carried him OFF and his death-he lived
several hours, as you will remember, after
he was first attacked.
0Tbe story is that Col. Rion, then, in
the presence of DIR. Hanahan, his physi-
clan. and OF his entire family, stated that
he was the son OF the Dauphin OF France,
who would have been King Louis XVII
had it not been for the French Revolution,
which by the execution of Louis XVI
eliminated in the overthrow OF the B0ur-
bon Dynasty. His statement was that
this boy, the Dauphin, who was reported
to have died at an early age, and to have
been an imbecile, had not really died, but
had been sent over to Canada and had
there been reared in obscurity under the
name of De Rion; that he entered the
English army and was married to Miss
Hunter, and that Col. Rion was the Off
spring Of that marriage. De Rion died
in Col. Rion's infancy, and he. with his
mother, were placed under the charge of
Mr.Calhoun by the Austrian Am bassador
at Washington, with a statement of the
facts In the case and upon certain condi-
lions that we're to be faithfully observed.
One Of the conditions was that the facts
should not be diVulged except in certain
contingencies, another Of the conditions
was that Col. Rion was never to go TO
Europe unless in charge of the Austrian
authorities and on board an Austrian
man.Of.war. A further condition was that
Col. Rion was never to accept civil office
In this country.
"These conditions were faithfully OBJ
served up to the time OF Col. Rion's last
fatal illness. He is not known to have
cODfded the story OF his birth to anyone
except bis eldest daughter. lie is said
TO have told her the story two or three
years ago, when she was about to sail
for Europe. 1t is said that one of her
purposes in going to Europe was to ex-
anime into the death of the Dauphin and
00Otaln such knowledge in regard to
Otherwise.
sit is also said that when Col. Rion re-
erred to the subject just before his death
ne observed in the countenaEces of those
WHO were gathered about him that they
supposed his mind to he wandering. and
'lst6e said to them: you think that my
MIND Is wandering, but | am In possess
on OF all my reasoning faculties He
Inen asked DR.. Hanahan TO mt him to
RI ~
act That he was perfectly rational.
\ ne sad (tapping his breast) i
saw VI -'''
COL hlon is known to have been in
o'sesslon OF very valuable gold snuff
oA set with diamonds, upon the TOP of
sn nG there is a monogram of the Orleans
anly wrought in diamonds. This snuff
TX, u Is said, had never been seen by
d! member OF his family until MS death,
"a I've Is known to have exhibited it once,
~ 100 10 an intimate personal and pro.
ba sssohal friend, under injunctions OF sec.
!, "Ilcn nave been removed by his
sal' lie gave no intimation to his
euu OF the history connected with the
0ssesslon OF this box, except to say that
ii. III Ciemsen, the son-in-law of John G.
fiuVun' brought it to him from France,
Try a'H ue Mr.. Clemson was secretary of
rps - iekdCiOH IN fAftS. Ine
nua'ooX mas been valued by ieweler.
luce Col, Rion's death, at $4,000, and
eD u most costly and exquisite workman
VOL Rion went to Canada some Years
s ~ anu told n friend when he had
,ulued mat he had seen in the old
e aptsm. '''O 'Noi" "a MS
Tvs understood that Col. Rion's family
s, nu" preparing for publication a full
q, 'n .Lht OF the facts IN the case and
At neIe IS much evidence to sustain
SS oa! made by him Just before
wai, certainly no one who knew
ER - sn would doubt for moment the truth
S. oMoa statement that he made when
nv yus ss IN MS right mind, for he was the
!! soul of honor" '''o
n. nv uSa IL the mystery which was shroud-
p on Tue lie Col. Rion, and the public
faaseriy await the publication of the
nj rsns connected with an affair which
Zen maa IKE q romance. There have
~ amsS pretenders, each OF whom has
ejr s,on mat he was the Dauphin. but
oIIes nave been discredited. and
) nnce u ls believed to this day thai
srIaPnin died In the Temple. where he
M co laced under the care of simon. the
|us ~ W. aIeer The execution of his father.
tSe R9liowing particulars in reference
Zen ~ Da.uphln and his supposed fate are
IN ~ tue American CyclonedIa and